What the Office 2024 perpetual licence technically means
A perpetual licence, technically known as a perpetual licence, grants the right to unlimited use of Office 2024. It is tied to a single device, a PC or a Mac. During activation, the licence key is checked once against Microsoft's servers and then stored permanently on the system.
Unlike with a subscription, no recurring online check is required. Once activated, Office 2024 works offline too. A Microsoft account is not required for the perpetual licence; the key is entered directly in the Office activation dialog.
Update supply and lifespan
- Security updates until 09.10.2029. Microsoft provides security updates for Office 2024 for almost five years.
- Functionality remains afterwards too. Once update support ends, Office 2024 keeps running; only no new updates are delivered.
- No new features during the support period. A perpetual licence receives security updates, but not the ongoing new features of the 365 subscription.
- Transferable when changing hardware. The licence can be transferred to a new computer, provided it is uninstalled from the old one.